Potions Project
by StarryKnight46
Summary: When Professor Snape pairs them together for a Potions project, they are less than thrilled. Remember that old saying, “Only time will tell”…? DMHG. Yes, it's cliche, don't let that stop you. R&R please! Rated for language and sensitive topics.


**TITLE: Potions Project**

**PLOT: Hermione and Draco hate each other. So when Professor Snape pairs them together for a Potions project, they are less than thrilled. Remember that old saying, "Only time will tell"…?**

**DISCLAIMER: J.K. Rowling owns everyone, and all of us wannabes are borrowing her characters! Don't sue!**

"Hiya, Harry!" It was Colin Creevey…again. Hermione sighed as he ran towards Harry, ready to talk. Sometimes she got frustrated with the cute little Gryffindor boy.

"Uh, hi Colin."

"Guess what? I got this new film for my camera, and it doesn't even need the special darkroom stuff to make the pictures move! And what's even cooler is…" Colin dove headfirst into a rant about his new camera film. Ron and Hermione grinned at Harry and slipped away, leaving him trapped in a one-sided conversation with the fourth-year chatterbox. He shot them a dirty look.

Hermione sat down and opened her Arithmancy book. She liked to read it for pleasure; it was like sitting down with your math textbook and reading about algebraic equations, merely for the fun of making sense of the jumble of letters and numbers. Ron rolled his eyes at her and began to entertain himself with poking Ginny in the back with his quill and then looking innocent.

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Draco was grumpier than ever. He was already in a bad mood because of the 'Poor' on his Transfiguration essay, but it didn't help that his friends, who were nothing more than living rocks and about as smart as well, were flashing their 'Exceeds Expectation's about for everyone to see. Draco harrumphed and furrowed himself deeper into the folds of his comfortable, overlarge, fur-covered chair by the fireplace. He wrapped himself up in a cosy woollen blanket and stared into the embers.

It was a good thing that Draco liked Potions, because at least he had something to look forward to after a hellish week of bad grades and fights. His right eye still throbbed from when Goyle had blacked it yesterday. He'd gotten rid of the blackness but the pain still hadn't vanished.

In truth, Draco was quite excited for Potions tomorrow, because Professor Snape had hinted that there would be a project and that it would be "fun". _Not to all those Gryffindors,_ thought Draco happily. Whatever caused Gryffindors pain, discomfort, or disappointment was all right with him.

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"Now, class, turn to page 297," drawled Professor Snape lazily. There was a riffling of pages as everyone turned to the right page. "Mr. Malfoy, please read the first paragraph."

Draco sat up straighter. He liked reading to the class, but he was anxious for the project.

"The inventing of potions is a complex art, especially when trying to make a brew with a positive effect…" he read the first paragraph. The rest of the class read the chart about which ingredients created what kind of effect.

"Class," barked Professor Snape. "As I have hinted in earlier lessons, today I will be assigning you a project. You will be paired up with someone and the two of you will need to invent a potion. Your assignment is to name your potion, make it, and write a recipe so that I can make it, _in front of the class_, to see if it has the claimed effects."

Malfoy grinned. This certainly would be fun. Just so long as they were allowed to pick their own partners…

"I will be assigning partners, Mr. Malfoy," said Snape. Damn! He had forgotten that Snape was an Occlumens _and_ a Legilimens. Snape started to read the list of names.

"Potter, Finnigan," drawled Snape. Malfoy tuned him out. At least he would not have to be with Potter. Snape continued to read names.

"Weasley, Crabbe," said Snape. Draco heard Ron groan and stifled a snicker. Well, now the only unfortunate pairing would be-

"Malfoy, Granger," said Snape loudly.

Damn again! Of all the people to be partnered with in this class, he had to be stuck with the beaver-toothed, know-it-all Mudblood! He looked daggers at her. She, in turn, looked haughtily back. Potter and Weasley were giving her as much sympathy as they could without being spotted or heard by Snape.

He turned back to the teacher, rather crossly. He barely even paid attention while Snape talked about the assignment. He didn't need to- of course, Granger would be writing it down word for word. Heck, he might not even have to do the whole project. Granger would probably be so immersed in calculations and experiments that he could just slip away.

"You will be given the next two weeks in class to work on this," said Snape, "but I assure you that it will not be enough time to complete the project. If you were to finish it by the deadline, you would need to be focused on working during class, and meet at least six extra hours each week. I promise you that this project is not as easy as it sounds, for you have to add exactly the right amount of each ingredient."

Draco was utterly indignant. Spend all his Potions class for two weeks, plus an additional twelve hours, with that Mudblood? This was tyranny! He opened his mouth to complain, but Snape silenced him with a warning look, and a voice in his mind said, '_Do not complain about your partner, Mr. Malfoy. Be grateful you aren__t at least with Potter._' Draco shut up, but he wasn't happy about it.

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"_Wow_, Hermione," Ron whistled pityingly. "All your Potions classes and another twelve hours with that bastard. Good luck living in this world."

"Strangely enough, Ronnykins," snapped Hermione, using Ron's hated pet name, "this isn't helping me much."

"Don't call me Ronnykins!"

"Then shut up about the stupid project. It's bad enough that I have to work with him, but I don't want sympathy."

"Fine."

Harry sighed. Ron and Hermione usually bickered on an hourly basis, but he couldn't blame Ron for feeling bad for Hermione. Spend all that time with Malfoy? Did Snape have a death wish for her? _Probably_, said a sardonic voice in his head. But he ignored his brain's sarcastic comment and walked with his two friends to lunch.

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"All right, Mr. Potions King," said Hermione sarcastically to Draco in Potions the next day, "What kind of effect do we want this potion to have?"

Draco groaned. So, he wouldn't be able to blow off the project. He was sorely tempted to say, "Mudblood repellent," but he knew this would be a bad idea. So he said, "I dunno."

"Listen," said Hermione angrily. "I'm not going to do this project for you. So I suggest you get focused or get a 'T'. Because if I do all the work, I will tell Professor Snape."

Draco knew that she really would, too, and that Snape was so serious about this project that he wouldn't hesitate to fail even his favourite student if they slacked off.

"Fine," he grumbled. "Let's brainstorm ideas. Little Miss Perfect never even thought of that?"

"I did," said Hermione deprecatingly, "but you were so off in La-La Land that I hated to disturb you."

"Oh, knock it off with the insults and help me do this." They proceeded to make a list of effects. Both knew right away that love potions were not an option. Not only would everyone think that the amorous brew meant that they not only tolerated each other but also liked each other, Snape also had to test it in front of the class.

They decided together on a simple healing brew, because, according to Hermione, some healing potions took way too long to make, and sometimes the sick person would die before the potion was finished.

Draco turned to the page in the book with the charts about ingredients and their effects. He looked at the chart labelled, "Healing".

"Okay, so it says that unicorn tail hair and the powdered antler of a stag heals sicknesses within the body. Do we want that?"

"Well, what about external injuries?"

"Erm…hang on… snake scales, chopped bark of a Rowan tree, and dragonfly eyes heal cuts."

"And where are we going to get Rowan tree bark? There's none in the student store cupboard, and maybe even Snape doesn't have any in his private stores." _So much for a simple brew,_ thought Hermione.

Most of the lesson went like this, and ended with both Hermione and Draco wholly annoyed. Neither thought they could stand any more lessons like this.

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The lessons got progressively better, but Hermione and Draco still took digs at each other once about every three minutes. Harry told her jokingly at dinner that she fought with Draco even more than she fought with Ron, so he couldn't be all _that_ bad. He was rewarded for his keen observations with a face full of mashed potato and an angry Hermione, who stated that he _was_ all that bad and much worse.

Then came Friday, the last Potions class for the week. They had found all the desired healing combinations, and Draco had read through the "Explosions" and "Sickness" charts to make sure that none of the needed ingredients would explode or have the opposite effect. But that meant they needed to get a hold of the ingredients. They had checked the student store cupboard, and the their surprise and pleasure, they found that Snape had almost tripled the supplies, in case of accidental screw-ups. Every ingredient that they needed now resided in the store cupboard, except for the Rowan bark, crushed white lily petals, and the leaves of a yellow acacia.

"Professor?" drawled Draco. "We need some ingredients for our potion that aren't in the store cupboard."

Snape looked coldly at them. "I see that our two _smart_ students have chosen a more complex problem. Good. What do you need?"

"We need Rowan bark, while lily petals, and yellow acacia leaves," said Hermione promptly.

"A healing potion, eh? Perhaps you could use it to shrink the gap between your overlarge teeth," said Snape icily. For some reason, Draco felt rather angry. "Come on, Professor, she's not too bad." He decided to steer off the topic of Hermione. "But do you have any of those at all?"

"Yes, I do. How much do you need?"

Hermione checked their notes. "A minimal amount of the white lily, maybe three or four scraps of bark, and about ten leaves," she said quietly. Snape whisked off to his store cupboard. Draco turned to face Hermione. She was looking at him rather oddly.

"Thanks," she said thoughtfully, almost wonderingly.

Snape returned with their ingredients. Thanking him, Draco took them and brought them back to their table. Hermione glanced at the clock.

"Well, we only have about five minutes left," she informed Draco, "and we have to do six additional hours this week, so I was thinking three hours tomorrow and three on Sunday. Tomorrow at eleven?"

Draco mentally skimmed over his social calendar. "Works for me. I'll take the ingredients, too." He grabbed a small box, and loaded the bundles and jars of ingredients into it. The bell rang, and everyone left the dungeon.

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It was eleven o'clock, and Hermione was waiting for Draco in one of the dungeons. She had booked the time from eleven to two for today and tomorrow, as well as the next weekend. All of the other Potions students had rushed to book times as well, so Hermione was lucky to be able to get this time for both weekends.

Draco rushed in, carrying the box and looking sweaty-faced and filthy. "Sorry," he apologized. "Late-running Quidditch." Normally, Hermione would have scowled and given a lecture about how school was much more important that sports, but somehow she couldn't bring herself to. It was probably because she still felt she owed Draco for, dare she say it, defending her against Snape.

They began to unpack the box. Hermione casually lit a fire under the cauldron, and Draco pulled out a tiny blue carton from the box.

"What's that?" asked Hermione, interested.

"Bezoars," said Draco. "Dad has a huge store of 'em. Don't worry," he added, catching Hermione's apprehensive glance. "Dad doesn't know I'm working with you."

Something was wrong with the way he said 'you'. And then Hermione realized. He was talking to her without a trace of contempt or malice, almost addressing her as a friend.

Draco Malfoy's friend. That though invoked a weird feeling upon Hermione. She knew that it didn't seem right, and at the same time, sounded kind of nice too. She shook her head.

"Okay," she said, trying to regain her bossy self, "the book says that if we were having this combination, only a minimal amount of buffalo hoof…." She began to direct Draco, who tried hard to measure the exact amounts she suggested. Both recoiled as Draco put in a few bee eyes and the potion turned a sick green.

They gouged the chartreuse mixture out of the cauldron and started over.

In three hours, they had written the first two steps for their potion. They had used over half their ingredients, and were going to need refills on Monday. Draco bade Hermione good night, a gentlemanly thing that she had not thought him capable of, and they left for their respective dormitories.

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The next day started out okay. Draco was waiting for her in the empty dungeon when she arrived. He already had a fire crackling beneath the cauldron and had followed the first two instructions.

"Well, then, let's start where we left off. Not quite so many bee's eyes this time," said Hermione jokingly. Draco laughed and scooped up about a half-pound of eyes. Stirring them in cautiously, he gasped as the mix turned from a murky brown to a beautiful, eye-catching forest green. It was as though Draco was stirring liquid emerald. Hermione let out a soft _oh!_ and smiled, "It's so pretty!" She printed the next step onto the folio of paper she was using.

She took a seat next to him, transfixed by the emerald potion. She only stopped staring at it when Draco shook her, hard.

"Earth to Hermione!" said Draco loudly. She shook her head and finished writing the step.

"You know," said Draco, "We could make this into a hypnotic potion."

"No," said Hermione. "You weren't affected, were you?"

"Good point."

They continued to mix various ingredients in varying quantities for a while, but Hermione was quickly getting bored. It was apparent that Draco was, too.

"Let's take a break, shall we?" asked Hermione. Draco nodded fervently, and they decided to see what would happen if they let the potion simmer for five minutes during their break. They sat at one of the tables lining the sides of the room.

It was a slightly awkward moment, made even worse by the fact that they were now so used to each other's company that it shouldn't have felt awkward. Suddenly, Hermione turned to Draco.

"It's funny, isn't it, that it seemed so bad that we had to work together at first, and now we're totally used to it?"

"That is funny…" Draco trailed off into thought.

Hermione persisted. "And since we're both used to it, this conversation shouldn't be in the least bit awkward, and yet it is."

Draco nodded. Both immediately felt different, once Hermione put it that way.

"I guess…"

"Oh, stop trying to analyse things and just relax. Let everything happen," said Draco calmingly. He turned to her, and before he knew what was happening, Hermione's lips were on his.

The kiss lasted for maybe a few seconds…or hours…or perhaps a few days, but then Hermione pulled away.

"Oh my God, I am so sorry-" she spluttered.

"No, no, it's okay! Chill, Hermione!"

"I don't know what came over me, I just-"

Draco only knew one way to shut her up. He kissed her, and then let go after the shock had totally left Hermione. She visibly relaxed and began to breathe more freely.

"God, Harry and Ron are going to murder me," said Hermione weakly.

"Right, because you're going to tell them, 'Oh, today was so great, I snogged Draco'? That's one sure way to get yourself hurt." Draco sighed. "In truth, Pansy's not gonna be very pleased with me, either. We're not dating," he added, at the scandalized and apologetic look on Hermione's face, "but she keeps hinting at it and I'm going insane."

"Erm…" said Hermione, as she watched a faint blush tint Draco's cheeks, "let's get back to Potions."

But neither could concentrate, and they decided to quit early today.

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But, as stories so outrageous are bound to get out, someone had begun a rumour that Hermione and Draco were going out. Both denied everything, but neither could help blushing and not meeting the other's gaze during Potions class. It was a very good thing that they were already pretty far, or else the distractions and murmurs around them would have embarrassed them so much they wouldn't have been able to concentrate.

Hermione was left feeling incredibly relieved that Harry and Ron spent so much time on the Quidditch pitch, or they would have chewed her out a long time ago. _But_, said a sneering voice in her head that made her sink low in her chair, _they__re definitely going to find out sooner or later, what with those gossipy Chasers._ She could just hope that Harry and Ron didn't care enough to listen to their trivial chatter.

Apparently, though, Harry and Ron did listen to the gossipy Chasers. Both cornered Hermione in the common room after Quidditch practice, where she had been leisurely re-reading her copy of _Numerology and Gramatica _in a fluffy armchair.

"Hermione?" asked Ron tentatively. Hermione blushed faintly and ignored him.

"Hermione…" said Harry firmly, "We know you're listening to us. Quit ignoring us." When Hermione refused to acknowledge their presence, Ron sighed and muttered, "Wingardium Leviosa!" Hermione's book rose from her hands and onto the table. She sighed and looked grumpily back at them.

"I knew you were listening," smirked Ron, "but we came to have a little chat. Normally we don't pay attention to the meaningless prattle of our team-mates, but Fred and George do, and the discussion today seemed to be a rumour that you were dating Malfoy."

Hermione saw that his hands had clenched into tight fists. So had Harry's. Maybe it was the fact that they were outraged at this alleged 'crime', or maybe it was the fact that both were ready to protect their best friend from Malfoy, but all at once both of them sunk to their knees and Harry said, in a low voice, "Is it true?"

Hermione knew she was blushing harder than she ever had, and then she realized, _there__s no penalty for being in love. Why not just tell the truth?_

"Well, we're not dating…exactly," she began, but Ron cut her off angrily.

"What do you mean by 'exactly'?"

"Hold up, Ronnykins," she snarled, "I'm not finished yet."

She told Harry and Ron what had happened, or at least most of it. She carefully omitted the kiss, which would have sent them both over the edge of the world, but she did truthfully mention that her feelings were not that of hate or malice anymore, and she did consider him, at the very least, a friend. She finished, only to be greeted by cold silence.

"What?" asked Hermione nervously. Harry and Ron continued to glare at her. "What?" she whined, getting frustrated with their coolness.

"What?" echoed Ron, not in the angrily accusatory tone he had used earlier, but a sleek, ironic voice that didn't suit him, "Oh, nothing's the matter, just the fact that you're in love with our enemy."

Hermione could not believe her ears. In love with the enemy? How could Ron put that so cruelly? She looked imploringly at Harry.

"I thought I trusted you, Hermione. I thought you were a loyal friend. But now, I don't know what to think…" he trailed off wistfully. Hermione felt tears gathering in her eyes. Were Harry and Ron, her only really close friends, betraying her over a simple matter of twisted affections? As her friends— her friends! — walked away, Hermione Granger- proud, bold, fearless Hermione Granger- slumped in her seat and began to cry.

Ginny walked over and was shocked to find her friend in tears. Usually, Harry and Ron liked to talk to her of she looked in need of cheering up, but never had Ginny seen Hermione leave a conversation with the two boys crying!

"Hermione?" asked Ginny hesitantly.

"G'way," Hermione muttered quietly.

"Hermione, please listen to me. I want to talk to you."

Hermione wiped her eyes on the back of her shirtsleeve and looked up at Ginny with wide, fearful eyes. Ginny sat down next to her.

"Come on, 'Mione, what's wrong?"

Hermione explained everything, and in her need of a friend who would listen, she did mention the kiss. Ginny looked shocked for a split second, then her face returned to its sympathetic frown.

Hermione finished confiding in Ginny, and then looked at her in fear.

"You hate me, don't you?" Hermione asked quietly. "You hate me for loving him."

Ginny looked appalled.

"Never! I wouldn't hate you, Hermione! The course of love is not one to be tampered with, and I merely say that your path has led you in a direction that was rather…unpredicted."

Hermione raised her eyebrows. "Since when is Ginny Weasley philosophical?"

Ginny laughed. "Since you lent me that big book of Shakespeare's works."

Hermione sighed and smiled. But at least she still had Ginny as a friend. And maybe Ginny could help her with this quickly growing problem. Hermione had not expected Harry and Ron to desert her. She found herself longing for anger, as opposed to this hateful, icy silence. She glanced at them. The boys were huddled together, muttering darkly and casting her cold looks. She and Ginny both scowled back, and the two girls retreated to their dormitory.

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Draco was not having any better a time. His friends hadn't deserted him, but almost everyone in Slytherin was in the common room, pointing at him and saying nasty things. He, too, took refuge in his dormitory, but the five boys he shared it with had followed him. Theodore Nott was having fun composing his own little song about the "traitor Malfoy", Crabbe and Goyle were attempting to overcome their lack of emotion and be compassionate to Draco, and the others were teasing him about liking a Mudblood.

"You know, we should just chuck him out!" yelled Nott after he got bored with his song.

"Sure, he could go live in the Mudblood's room!" said Blaise Zabini. This earned him a slap.

"Mind out of the gutter!" snapped Draco, all too aware that he was blushing furiously. "You all may hate me because I supposedly love a Mudblood, but do you even know if it's true?"

"Yes," said Blaise. Draco was shocked. "How?"

"Well," explained Nott, semi-apologetically, "Potter and Weasley, you know, the Mudblood's best friends? They met us after Quidditch the other day and told us that the rumours about you two were true. We asked 'em how they knew, and apparently they interrogated the little Mudblood to the point of tears."

Many thoughts were running through Draco's head. _Had Hermione told her __friends__ everything? If so, were they still her friends?_ The questions he had were replaced by anger. _How dare those insolent fools make Hermione cry! And how dare they betray her trust by telling all of her secrets to everyone!_

The anger was so profuse now that, when Blaise made a sarcastic comment about Draco and Hermione, his nose had become acquainted with Draco's left fist. Blaise screeched in agony, holding his now bleeding nose. The rest of the boys were looking, dumbstruck, at Draco. Nott broke the silence.

"Violence is not the answer, my dear friend," he said, sarcastically indignant.

"No," Draco agreed savagely, "Violence is the question, and the answer is yes."

Needless to say, none of the boys made fun of Draco for a long time…

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Hermione was having a nightmare. She and Draco were in a forest at night, and the two of them could see a small speck of light in the distance. Both watched in avid fascination, as the light grew bigger. Suddenly, Hermione was aware that this light was not friendly, but it was too late! Thousands upon thousands of Harry's and Ron's came at the two of them, all screaming, "Kill the beasts! Kill the beasts!" Hermione and Draco ran as fast as they could, but the Harry's and Ron's seemed to get closer all the time. Then, suddenly, Hermione and Draco were in a zoo exhibit, with a sign reading "Forbidden Lovers". And all the time, Hermione heard her name echoing…and echoing…

"…Hermione? Hermione?"

Hermione awoke with a start to be greeted by Ginny. "'Mione, wake up. You were having a nightmare." Ginny sat down on her confused friend's bed. Hermione looked at the clock, which read "12:00 pm".

"Aw, Ginny, why'd ya wake me up?"

"Oh, maybe because you were twisting and turning and screaming the most awful obscenities that Lavender and I decided to take pity on you."

Hermione's puzzled frown was even more pronounced. Parvati said from the corner, "Don't confuse her, Ginny, she only just woke up!"

Ginny let Hermione shake the sleepiness from her, and then invited Parvati and Lavender to come sit down.

"Okay," said Ginny. "We were hoping that you'd wake up soon, because we couldn't sleep and we were thinking about ways to solve this issue." There was no need for Ginny to define 'this issue,' it had been on Hermione's mind for so long. "We're pretty sure that the three of us are the only ones in Gryffindor who've taken your side, probably because we're die-hard romantics at heart." Hermione smiled weakly. She was glad her other friends hadn't turned on her as well.

"Well, I suggested revenge upon your betrayers, as a first," said Lavender. "Harry and Ron have no business sharing your personal information with anyone you don't want them to." Parvati and Ginny nodded.

Hermione sighed. "But revenge only escalates into a bigger problem…"

"And yet," said Parvati wisely, "Harry and Ron have hurt you pretty badly. Are you going to take it lying down?"

"No," said Hermione practically. "I was intending to have a chat with them. I don't know how willing they'd be, but…" then she suddenly grinned. "I have an idea," she said in a singsong voice. When the other girls looked questioningly at her, she began,

"You know how big a sucker Harry is for Ginny?" Lavender and Parvati nodded; Ginny looked shocked.

"Really, Hermione?"

"Really, Ginny."

"Well…that's quite nice. Continue, please."

"I was thinking that Ginny could sweet-talk Harry into a little chat. No need to convince Ron, Harry'd just tell him everything. And Harry's probably more willing to listen."

All agreed to the plan except Ginny.

"Whaddaya mean by 'sweet-talk'?" she asked indignantly.

"Careful flattery, sucking up, and, if it's called for, seduction," said Hermione, as though reading from a list. Ginny looked horrified.

"C'mon, Ginny, I was kidding!" laughed Hermione. Parvati and Lavender grinned. Hermione recovered herself and said innocently, "Unless, of course, you _want_ to?" Ginny slapped her arm, but agreed to the plan. Hermione slept a lot easier after this.

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The weekend had come, and according to Snape, Hermione and Draco had made sufficient enough progress to only have to do four hours over the weekend. Hermione hurried to book times, and again, she'd gotten them the same times as last weekend.

On Saturday, Draco was exactly on time, as was Hermione, so they got started immediately. After an hour, they decided to take a break. They were almost finished with their recipe, and needed to name it. Another obstacle, which they had not foreseen, was the fact that they needed someone to test it on. This would involve one hurting the other, which neither was very keen to do. They discussed this unfortunate matter for a while, and then the discussion turned to the violently growing problem outside those four walls. Draco liked Hermione's idea of the little chat with Harry, but advised her to remember how to block charms. Suddenly, Draco turned away.

"What?" asked Hermione softly.

"I…I can't do this anymore. We can't be together, we're totally different people, and this is causing problems for both of us. I don't want you to be unhappy, Hermione, and I don't want anyone else to have you, but if this keeps going I'll hurt you! You've already lost your two best friends."

Hermione smiled sadly. "If they were real friends, they would care! They'd support me though thick and thin. It reminds me of an old Moslem tale. A white rose and a nightingale were in love, two species never meant to be together, and yet they loved each other so that they broke the barriers of nature and together, created an extraordinary red rose, one that Allah never meant for the world to know. And though they were punished, they still loved each other and didn't let anything get in their way. So don't worry about me. I'm fine."

Draco gazed at her in awe, at her ability to not let anything get in her way. He liked this confident Hermione best. The two of them had finished their potion completely, but were deciding to determine names for it. And also, there was the lurking need to test it…

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"Hermione!" Ginny ran up to her friend. "Harry told me that he'd like to talk, but Ron had been wanting to talk to you alone ever since he got all huffy with you. I think he wants to say he's sorry, but the way Harry told me it was…odd. It was almost as though they plan to trick you in some way, so I'm getting Draco and keeping him around, just in case." Hermione agreed that Ron's fierce desire to talk to her after ignoring her icily for the past week was rather suspicious, but maybe he really did mean well. The two friends entered one of the small study alcoves around the common room. Ron closed the door.

"Hermione…" he said, looking at her squarely in the face, "_Imperio!_"

A feeling of utter bliss washed over Hermione. This was like heaven, only she was sure she wasn't dead. Her mind was curiously blank, and she couldn't remember anything. But that was okay…just so long as she could stay here forever.

Ron's voice washed through her empty brain. "_Kiss me._" Heck, why not? She would be glad to! She was pretty sure she'd never had a boyfriend, and so she approached Ron and did so. Ron's voice echoed through again. "_Again_" Hermione did. With this and the heaven-like place, Hermione was really very content. She was even utterly unaware when the door to the alcove swung open. There stood a pale-faced, blond boy. She seemed to recall his face…

Draco Malfoy! All of a sudden her memories flowed back, and she became uncomfortably aware that her lips were on Ron's, and that Draco was looking sickened and hurt. Ginny stood behind him, looking equally upset.

"Well," said Draco coldly, "So much for 'the love that can withstand anything', Hermione."

"No!" Hermione shrieked, breaking free of Ron's grasp and looking between the two boys in horror. "This isn't…how could this…" she spluttered indignantly. She vaguely remembered Ron saying "Imperio"…she strode briskly across the room and slapped Ron across the face, hard. She turned to face Draco, who was still eyeing her coldly.

"Well, this is an unexpected turn of events!" said Ginny angrily to Ron. "What were you thinking, you maniac? You Imperiused Hermione and shattered a fragile love! You are utterly insane!" Draco stopped looking cold, but his face turned to that of complete fury.

"Weasley!" he roared, so loud that Ginny and Hermione actually took a step back, "How dare you steal my girl?"

"Your girl, huh?" said Ron, equally loudly, "She was going to be mine before you took her!"

Hermione looked at him sharply. "You dirty liar! That is so not true!"

"Is too," retorted Ron. "I was going to confess to you, but then you got your head stuck in the clouds with this pretty-boy!"

"Pretty-boy, am I, you weasel?"

Ginny and Hermione watched in horror as both boys whipped out their wands. Neither girl noticed Harry until he muttered, "God, I didn't think Ron was going to do that. I thought he genuinely wanted to talk to you."

Hermione looked sharply at him. "You're so naïve, Harry! You know he hates Draco almost as much as you do, and was waiting for some way to punish me for even tolerating he presence!"

"Actually," admitted Harry, "he's not so bad now that he knows you'll lecture him if he does anything to me." Hermione huffed.

Just then, Ginny shrieked. "Stop! Stop them, Hermione! They'll kill each other!"

Hermione turned swiftly back to the duelling boys. Both were dodging and dancing around blasts of light in every colour known to Man, and it was quite obvious that Ginny was right; they were going to kill, or at least severely injure, each other if this wasn't stopped. The sparks and jets of light were now going so fast that Hermione couldn't tell which was coming from whose wand. There was only one thing to do. With a yell, Hermione plunged herself into the mass of hexes, oaths, and light. A great thud was heard as Hermione hit the floor, and both boys stopped firing shots immediately.

Draco rushed to her side. Parts of his face were badly scarred, and he had several nasty gashes. Ron was looking no better. Draco laid a hand on Hermione's, and scooted over as Ginny rushed over to help her friend.

"Oh, God, is she — ?"

"No, Ginny, she isn't dead," sighed Draco with relief, as he felt a faint pulse in Hermione's wrist. Meanwhile, Harry was holding back Ron, who was livid. Apparently he wanted to keep fighting, out of jealousy and rage and pure, pent-up-for-16-years hate. It was all Harry could do to keep Ron from jumping him.

Ginny was examining Hermione.

"Well, she got hit pretty badly by several curses. And— hey, turn around. I need to check her heart, lungs, and stomach."

Like good gentlemen, the three boys turned away from Hermione as Ginny examined vital areas that would have embarrassed them to see.

"Well, nothing's broken internally." Draco rushed to her side again.

"Will she be okay?"

Suddenly Hermione stirred slightly. Ron was too busy fighting to see, and Harry was busy restraining Ron, but Draco saw her eyelids flutter.

"Hermione! Hermione, talk to me!" Draco tried hard to keep from shaking her. She opened one eye very painfully.

"Draco…? Ginny? What…happened?" she looked around, disoriented. Her bruised face and bleeding lip seemed not to affect her.

Ginny smiled. "I'll let him explain it. Meanwhile, I'm going to get prying eyes," she indicated Harry and Ron, who were not struggling anymore, "out of here." She stood up and pushed Ron roughly out the door. (Harry went of his own accord, understanding that this was not a conversation meant for him.) After the door closed, Hermione could hear a faint _slap-slap-slap-slap_, Ron swearing at his sister, and Ginny growling between slaps, "You…insane…selfish…git…"

Draco chose to ignore this and lowered his voice to address a still bemused Hermione. "Can you sit up?"

Hermione tried, but passed out as she did so. Apparently, the landing had taken more effect than Ginny had thought. Draco decided that, since she was obviously not up to walking, he'd have to carry her up to the infirmary. He scooped her up in his arms and carried her out through the common room. Ginny spotted them.

"What happened to her?"

"I asked her if she could sit up, and she-"

"You idiot! You don't ask people to sit up right after they've taken a heavy landing!"

Draco sighed and they walked up to the hospital wing in silence.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

"…mione. Hermione. Are you awake?"

Hermione stirred and opened her eyes. She blinked several times before she could focus. Why was she in the hospital wing? Jets of light, curses and oaths, a moment of pain…_oh yeah_, she thought. _Ron and Draco__s fight_. She sat up.

"Thank God," said Ginny, who was accompanying Draco by her bedside.

"How do you feel?" asked Draco. Hermione stared at him uncomprehendingly.

"Let her regain her bearings, Draco," said Ginny. Then she added softly to Hermione, "Take your time in remembering."

She needn't have worried. Hermione remembered, very clearly. "Where are Harry and Ron? Don't they care?" she asked, slightly hurt. _No,_ a voice in her head said. _They don__t give a damn about my feelings anymore. Ron could have been killed, but I sided with Draco, their sworn enemy. They both hate me now._ She became vaguely aware that there was a tear rolling down her cheek.

Ginny sighed. "Harry and Ron are just being arses. They'll come 'round."

Hermione looked at her sarcastically. "But will they? Even when I still associate myself with Draco?" she glanced at him apologetically.

"I'll make the come 'round. They're just being…" Ginny trailed off.

"…Male," Draco finished the sentence for her. Both Hermione and Ginny stifled a laugh. Hermione leaned over and hugged Draco. He smiled and took her hands.

"Er, not to ruin the moment or anything," interrupted a voice from the doorway. It was Harry. Hermione quickly let go of Draco's hands and looked guiltily at Harry. "What?"

He walked over. "Can I sit down?" he asked Hermione, trying to disregard her cold stare. She nodded curtly.

"Look," he said weakly, "don't look at me like that. It's not my fault."

Hermione sighed. "No, it's not. It's mine." Draco and Harry looked at her, but the look on Ginny's face told Hermione that she understood.

"It is _not_ your fault!" said Ginny. She proceeded to explain to the confused boys about their midnight conversation. Turning back to Hermione, she said, "Harry said himself that Ron wanted a 'talk'," she spat the word maliciously, "so it would have happened anyway. Luckily, I thought to warn Draco."

Hermione was still angry. "But Harry, you could have stayed in the room to make sure Ron didn't do anything to me!"

"I should have, yes, but like I said, I honestly never thought—"

"And like I said, you are so _naïve_!"

"Disregarding my naivety," Harry cut across her, "Ron sends a message saying—"

"I don't give a _damn_ what Ron says!" Hermione shrieked. "If he cared at all, he could have told me himself!"

"No, he couldn't," said Harry. "He's in a bad way. Muttering under his breath and not talking to anyone, and barely talking to me, and mumbling the answers when he's called on in class. Flinches at the sight or mere mention of Draco's name, even if a teacher calls on _him_ in class—"

"Oh, so that's what that was?" asked Draco, partly genuinely surprised and partly trying to lift some of the cold tension. "Goyle thought he was having a seizure."

"Not helping, Draco," snapped Ginny. "Go on, Harry."

"I don't think that he could restrain himself if he saw you, he has it that bad for you. He was worse when he heard the rumours. Surely you noticed? And I've been trying to put up with this for five days…"

"Wait, five days?" asked Hermione. "I've been unconscious that long? What about assignments?" She was working herself into hysteria.

"Whoops," whispered Harry under his breath.

"Hermione, calm down," said Draco, "I asked the teachers to excuse you."

Hermione visibly relaxed. "Continue, Harry."

"So my point is, I think it's best for him not to see you. But the real point of my coming here was with a message from Ron."

Hermione's face scrunched itself into a disdainful look. "What is it?" she snapped.

Harry took a deep breath. "It's for both you and Draco. He says that he's sorry for overreacting—" both Hermione and Draco snorted derisively, "and he wants to know how he can make it up to you. Also, Draco, he says that if you should ever happen to make Hermione unhappy, he'll take her from you." Harry was trying not to grin at his friend's stupidity at the last part. Ginny raised her eyebrows.

"Utterly typical of my idiot brother," she sighed.

"Just passing along the message," said Harry. He left the hospital wing.

"That bastard," hissed Hermione. "What a coward. Can't even restrain himself enough to see if I'm alright."

"Harry's just going to tell him anyway," said Ginny.

"And since when is Harry an owl?" asked Hermione fiercely. "Personally, I didn't fancy being the messenger when they wouldn't talk to each other, and I can't see why Harry would."

Suddenly, Draco's face lit up. "This is kind of off-topic, but I just remembered!" he said happily. "Pomfrey was getting ready to use some disgusting-smelling potion to heal you, but I asked her if we could give you some of our own, and it worked! Ginny brought a bezoar along in case it didn't, but it _worked_!"

Hermione grinned. "Good for us!"

"And Pomfrey is going to ask the Headmaster if we can make it an official potion and use it at Hogwarts, because it worked so well!"

Hermione's grin was even wider. "I can't wait!"

Suddenly, she remembered. "Oh God! That project is due tomorrow! And we haven't named it!"

"Relax, Hermione, it's just a name," cried Draco, determined not to let her work herself into a frenzy.

"Wonder who Snape will have to hurt to test the potion?" wondered Hermione aloud.

"Hopefully not one of us."

"Maybe I can suggest Ronald," she growled savagely. "It'll be my sweet revenge. That's twice he's hurt me in a row, and I think I deserve payback…" she trailed off, muttering conspiratorially. Ginny and Draco looked at each other.

"I think we should stop her, she's going to set a crazy house-elf on him or something," grinned Ginny. Draco shook Hermione's shoulders.

"By the way," he told her, once she stopped her world domination plans and paid attention to him, "Pomfrey said you could leave the hospital wing."

"Why didn't you say so before?" asked Hermione indignantly. She leapt out of bed, nearly running into Ginny, but stopped cold as someone coughed in the doorway. She looked up. Ron.

"Oh. It's you," Hermione spat. He looked apologetic.

"Um…hi," he offered.

"Whatever you're going to say," said Hermione coldly, interrupting his attempts at speech, "I don't want to hear it. You're a selfish, lying git with no regard for other peoples' feelings. So just piss off, okay?" she strode past him, meeting his eyes with the iciest glance she could muster. He backed a few steps away and watched her retreat down the stairs. Draco and Ginny followed her.

"I'M SORRY, ALL RIGHT?" he roared at her. She turned, hate etched across her face. "No, Ronald," she whispered audibly, "It's not all right." With that, she continued down the stairs, leaving him dumbstruck in the doorway of the hospital wing.

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Hermione took her seat next to Draco in Potions the next day, with the ingredients and instructions list for their new potion. Regrettably, it was neither fast nor easily accessible, as Hermione had hoped, but it worked. She carefully avoided Ron's eyes as she strolled passed him to present the paper to Snape. He got out all the required ingredients and began to brew the potion, pointing his wand at the blackboard with the instructions as he went. Once the potion was completed, and simmering a pure, bright white, Snape pointed his wand at his left palm (Hermione noticed he didn't puncture his left arm at all). Blood gushed from a newborn wound. He let Draco drip a few drops of the potion on his hand. The wound sealed itself and bore no witness to the gash that had existed moments earlier.

"This potion receives an O," drawled Snape. "This is the first class in my history of teaching to ever have someone achieve an O. Copy the instructions from the blackboard, class." Hermione and Draco were ecstatic. Hermione shot a gloating look at Ron, who saw it and hunched over in his seat.

_I__m really not being very nice to him,_ thought Hermione, _but then again, he wasn__t very nice to me. I__m sure I__ll make up with him eventually__once I let the guilt sink in._ She spared no more precious thought on Ron and focused on giving Draco a high-five instead.

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"Hermione?" It was Harry, and Ron wasn't with him, strangely.

"What?"

"Erm…Ron wants me to tell you-"

"Tell Ron to come and tell me himself."

Harry sighed. "The last time I did that, you blew up at him. Remember?"

Hermione's insides felt a twinge of guilt, but not enough to make a difference. "Yeah, but still. He's such a coward."

"I _know_, but please, just listen to me. Ron would like me to tell you that he…uh…wants to talk."

Hermione shot Harry a disgusted look.

"Oh, don't give me that," Harry sighed. "I'm going to stay in the room this time."

"You'd better," warned Hermione.

"And so Ron doesn't know, I'm taking the Invisibility Cloak."

"Smart idea."

Later, in the Gryffindor common room, Ron ushered Hermione into the study alcove again. She sat down, facing him.

"Ronald, before we have this little heart-to-heart," Hermione said coldly, "Take out your wand and put it on that table where I can see it. And _don__t_ try to retrieve it." She gave him a menacing stare. He meekly drew his wand and laid it safely on the table.

"So. You _want to talk_ again. Spit it out."

"I…I really am…honestly sorry."

Hermione didn't move a muscle.

"Really, I am," he implored. "It's just…my family has this prejudice with the Malfoys, and it's kind of hard to see your best friend dating someone you've hated before you knew them."

Hermione sighed. "I understand. And honestly, I've hated him for a long time as well."

"People change, I guess. Just like I changed my mind."

Hermione looked at Ron, puzzled.

"I was willing to accept death before I was willing to accept betrayal," whispered Ron.

Hermione's mouth dropped open. "You didn't-" Ron nodded ashamedly.

"It's a lot easier to attempt suicide if you've got a spell to do it."

Hermione began to cry.

"Oh…quit- Hermione, don't cry…"

"I'm not trying to…it's just…I don't think either of us thought about anyone else except for ourselves." Hermione sniffed and wiped her eyes.

"I agree with that."

Hermione extended a hand to him. "Friends? Until you do something stupid again?"

Ron laughed and shook her hand. "Friends." He gave her a platonic, one-armed hug.

"Harry? You can come out now," called Hermione. There was no answer, but Hermione detected a flicker of movement in the corner. She strolled over, found the cloak, and unearthed Harry and Ginny, locked at the lips.

"Hey, do you mind?" asked Harry, breaking free and trying to tug the cloak back from Hermione's grip. She was not amused. Nor, it seemed, was Ron.

"You told me you'd be here in case anything happened. You don't come in with a distraction!" she said stiffly. Ginny grinned at her. "Distraction, now, am I?"

Ron was speechless.

"Awww, come on, mate," Harry grinned sheepishly at him. "Give it a rest." Ron shook his head, muttered, "Suit yourself," and strolled from the alcove.

"See, that wasn't so bad," said Harry. "Now, he's more okay with Draco than he was, and you two are friends again. And you won't have to shoot the messenger anymore."

Hermione nodded. Maybe now her life would return to somewhat normal…but hey, everyone loves to dream!

**Okay, guys, it's my first Dramione fic posted! Sorry I didn't turn this into chapters, but hey, I can be lazy if I wanna. Please review! Reviews will be rewarded with losta losta Chocolate Frogs...flames would be used to set Voldemort's hair on fire...if he had any. Either way, drop a line. Thanks! Starry**


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